Halo news this year - Moore

By Tom Bramwell Published 23 March, 2006

MechAssault, Crimson Skies dead.

Microsoft exec Peter Moore's been allowed into a room with a microphone again - and this time he's talked a bit about games.

First of all, the big one: "We haven't made any announcements regarding the Halo franchise. So Bungie is busy, they're an industrious bunch, and I think certainly this year, 2006, we might give you a peek at what Bungie is working on," he told IGN this week. "I'm not going to give you any specific days, times or events."

Which could mean E3, of course - Microsoft's been famously coy about discussing the future of Halo since the second game, and recently poured cold water on Bill Gates' famous assertion that a third game would launch as a PlayStation 3 spoiler.

Moore also said that Gears of War - one of the 360's biggest prospects, in development at Epic - would be playable at E3. It's supposed to come out later this year, he added. We can also expect to see sequels ("there will always be sequels") to successful games like Fable, Forza and Project Gotham.

Sadly though there's no place on the Xbox 360 schedule for the likes of MechAssault, because it didn't do as well as Microsoft hoped. "You build franchises, but as a platform developer, it's incumbent to us to try and build ultimate experiences and prime intellectual properties that work," said Moore of MechAssault. "Sometimes it doesn't [happen], and unfortunately, MechAssault is one of those that just didn't get that traction." Shame - we liked shooting squeaky kids in the armpit.

The same goes for Crimson Skies apparently - "It was certainly acclaimed by the hardcore, but it wasn't a slam dunk for us. So while there are no real plans yet, you never say never."

Moore also did his usual spiel about production rates and how Sony has big challenges ahead of it etc. etc., and if you're up for all that you can read the rest on IGN.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000. Follow him on Twitter.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (22) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Jontacular #1 6 years ago

    Definitely the wankiest use of "traction" I've ever come across.

  • Dizzy #2 6 years ago

    I like MA!!! :(

    Well I guess they are counting on Japanese devs to keep the giant robot games alive on 360. Chromehounds might do it.

  • groovychainsaw #3 6 years ago

    Mechassault needs to go back to its roots - make it more like the mechwarrior games on the PC - that would be something I would buy. Mechassault was always too throwaway, I always preferred having to press all the buttons to boot up my mech, and carefuly shooting bits off opponents so i could salvage the best stuff.

  • Blerk #4 6 years ago

    There's a new Halo coming?!

    :-O

  • Furbs #5 6 years ago

    Forza + PGR3 visuals = t3h sechs.

    Shame about Crimson Skies though :(

  • prettyboytim #6 6 years ago

    Bugger. I loved Crimson Skies.

    I was just thinking yesterday that an Xbox 360 version would be neat.

  • Boom #7 6 years ago

    Completely agree groovychainsaw (which I assume is an Evil Dead reference?).

    I would love them to go back to the ways of Mechwarrior. The nearest thing I've had is Steel Battalion, but I want the Battletech universe.

  • groovychainsaw #8 6 years ago

    Yeah, used to play mechwarrior:mercenaries all the time way back when, was exactly what I wanted from a stompy robot game.
    (And yeah, evil dead reference)

  • Darkedge #9 6 years ago

    MA was rubbish and an insult to mechwarriors name personally so that pleases me.. howver Forza and Fable sequels OH YES!

  • mentat #10 6 years ago

    bah. I really liked Mechassualt and Crimson skies.

    Go on MS, have the balls to release what the 'hardcore' want, instead of the unwashed masses.
    Pffft.

  • Dizzy #11 6 years ago

    Compared to the tabletop game, Mechwarrior was a slow sim. At least MA got the speed and firepower of the Mechs right. Something in between would suit me fine. or a turn based Battletech Live game!!! (or on PC.. even better)

    >I was just thinking yesterday that an Xbox 360 version would be neat.

    Blazing Angels demo is on Live as of today. Quite good apparently.

  • mazzl #12 6 years ago

    indeed, i just spend last weekend doggfighting my friend with crimson skys via systemlink.. just perfect!

  • Xerx3s #13 6 years ago

    Just imagine, configuring your own battle mech with a new mechwarrior game and then taking it online for some massive mayhem. It would be like the good old days. \0/

  • groovychainsaw #14 6 years ago

    I guess I kinda like slow as sims go (to be honest, wouldnt mind some sort of turn based thing, but we all know that'll never happen, eh?)

  • Kostabi #15 6 years ago

    Bah, no new Crimson Skies game? Microsoft have robbed me of the chance to call myself Sky Captain and soar around in lovely 360-o-vision. :(

  • Calgon #16 6 years ago

    Ah well, neither of the two games were all that bad. I own Crimson Skies which was a good game for a quick blast of every now and then but it was missing something imo, I was hoping they'd figure it out in the sequel because it did have some good things going for it and I did have fun with it. Mechassault isnt my cup of tea but it does have a hardcore following who will be dissapointed by this.

    Its probably a good descision by MS(they can always go back to these games if there is demand in the future), it might do these dev teams good to work on something fresh and new, exactly the kind of thing I want to see more of on 360.
    Edited by Calgon at 23/03/06 @ 11:38

  • morriss #17 6 years ago

    Moore also did his usual spiel about production rates and how Sony has big challenges ahead of it etc. etc, and if you're up for all that you can read the rest on IGN.


    Yeah, because posting slightly negative stuff about Sony isn't news is it?!

    /runs for the hills, arms flailing, laughing maniacally

  • kangarootoo #18 6 years ago

    ""You build franchises, but as a platform developer, it's incumbent to us to try and build ultimate experiences and prime intellectual properties that work," said Moore of MechAssault. "Sometimes it doesn't [happen], and unfortunately, MechAssault is one of those that just didn't get that traction.""

    Holy crap, thats a lot of marketing speak. Note to self: use the words, "incumbent", "prime" and "traction" more in conversation.

    And let me add my support to the "going back to MW2 roots, where it was like a flight sim on legs" movement.

  • kangarootoo #19 6 years ago

    On the subject of MW2 type games. Does anyone know how many copies Steel Battalion shifted?

    I wonder if it would have sold more copies without the big controller (because of the obvious cut in price), or less (because of the reduced novelty and publicity the big ass controller brought with it).

  • groovychainsaw #20 6 years ago

    The only problem I saw with steel battalion (apart from the barrier to entry in £) was the lack of customisability. All the novelty came from the control mechanism, not the gameply. I really would be happy just with a fairly open mech shooter where you can pick your mission over a number of worls and customise your mech according to a set of rules (which is where mechwarrior was great, as the rules were already finely balanced from the rpg...)

  • admir #21 6 years ago

    halo sucks

  • dk_rare #22 6 years ago

    Halo is cool, even if Halo 2 did suck a bit